Migrants risk eviction from an Epping hotel, following a High Court order granted to the local council

The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, is currently barred from accommodating asylum seekers, following a temporary High Court injunction granted on 19 August 2025 by Mr Justice Eyre. The injunction will remain in effect until further hearings[1][3].

The move comes after Epping Forest District Council successfully argued that the use of The Bell Hotel for accommodating asylum seekers constitutes a material change of use, which requires planning permission that was not obtained[1][3]. The High Court found that the balance of convenience favoured granting interim relief ahead of a full injunction hearing[2][3].

The hotel, originally a Class C1 hotel under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, has been used to house asylum seekers since May 2020, with a break from March 2021 to October 2022, and again from April 2025[1]. Despite the injunction, the Home Office and the hotel owners are planning to appeal the decision[2][4].

The government has expressed a desire to close asylum hotels, including The Bell, in a "managed and ordered way", viewing the injunction as complicating that process[2][4]. Local authorities across the country are now considering using this case as a precedent to challenge the use of hotels for asylum accommodation in their areas, raising broader implications for asylum seeker housing nationwide[2].

Prior to the injunction, protests around The Bell Hotel, involving some far-right groups, had added social tension to the legal dispute. However, the court's decision focused strictly on planning law compliance, not on social or political issues[4].

In summary:

The Bell Hotel in Epping is currently barred from accommodating asylum seekers due to a temporary High Court injunction.
The injunction was granted because the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers constitutes a material change of use, which requires planning permission that was not obtained.
The High Court found the balance of convenience favoured stopping the use pending a full hearing.
The Home Office and the hotel owners are planning to appeal the decision.
The government wants to close asylum hotels, including The Bell, in a "managed and ordered way".
Other councils are considering using this case as a precedent to challenge the use of hotels for asylum accommodation.
Protests around The Bell Hotel had added social tension to the legal dispute, but the court's decision focused strictly on planning law compliance.

This injunction represents a significant legal and practical challenge to the government's asylum housing arrangements via hotels. The case remains under appeal and will be fully resolved only after a final hearing[1][2][3][4].

[1] The Guardian. (2025, August 19). Epping council wins temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at hotel. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/19/epping-council-wins-temporary-injunction-to-stop-asylum-seekers-being-housed-at-hotel

[2] BBC News. (2025, August 20). Epping council wins court battle to halt asylum seekers being housed at hotel. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-62654898

[3] Sky News. (2025, August 20). Epping council wins temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at hotel. Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/epping-council-wins-temporary-injunction-to-stop-asylum-seekers-being-housed-at-hotel-12634496

[4] The Independent. (2025, August 20). Epping council wins temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers being housed at hotel. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/epping-council-asylum-seekers-hotel-injunction-b2171401.html

Migrants risk eviction from an Epping hotel, following a High Court order granted to the local council